The top that didn't want to get made ...

The winter before last I bought a yard of purple rayon from Gorgeous Fabrics. For some time I had had a hankering for a purple and green wardrobe. I just wanted a simple purple long sleeved tshirt and I knew I could get my favourite Kwik Sew t from a yard. Somewhere along the line I changed my mind and decided to make the top from V1020, which I had made as a dress twice before. I could do it with a yard, but it meant jiggery pokery and cutting each piece out individually. I don't know what happened, but I managed to cut the front and back and one sleeve, but when it came time for the second sleeve, I somehow cut it out of the already cut out front piece. That's what happens when you get blase and don't pay attention. I thought I could just buy some more but, of course, it had ran out. I cursed my stupidity, put it in the UFO pile and forgot about it for two years.


Last year I still had the green and purple thing hanging around in my mind. By then I had bought some lovely green and purple wool boucles from the Vera Wang collection on Fabric.com (which still remain unsewn) and I had some ideas of what I wanted to make. I still wanted a purple t shirt, so I ordered some fabric from Gorgeous Fabrics. It looked strangely familiar when I unpacked it ... I won't bore you with the details but I nearly messed it up again. I managed to complete the V1020 top, but I now have a t shirt back and one sleeve as well.

It didn't end there. When I started to sew, the foot pedal on my machine got stuck. I unplugged it and started again. Repeatedly. If you ever see me wearing this top, don't look too closely. At least, after three winters, I finally have a purple top. By the way, the white smudge is not on the garment, I think it's a dust mote, although I know some people say things like this appearing on photos are evil spirits ...

This top is another example of me cocking it up. I cut a a short sleeved tshirt from my favourite pattern KS3338 and some leftover fabric. Somehow between the cutting table and the sewing table, I managed to throw the sleeves away. I wasn't going through the bin. It's now sleeveless.



At the same time as I bought the second lot of purple fabric, I bought this olive green fleece from Gorgeous Fabrics. These don't look like much, but I am wearing them as I type and the pattern is great. It's KS3678 and has a zip front jacket as well. The pants have front and back in one piece (no side seam) and fit me perfectly. I have cut the jacket in black still to be made.

I wanted a loose sweat shirt to go with it to wear to the gym over my training clothes (it's been 3 degrees when I leave for the gym in the mornings). This is from KS3001 which is OOP. It's one of those useful unisex patterns with a few variations. Both are very easy patterns.

Nothing could be easier than this. It's M9551 (probably OOP) that I made from leftover scraps. I think it took longer to cut out than to sew. Do you like the way I've displayed on my tagine?

This cardigan is knitted from a pattern torn from an issue of Family Circle dating to September 1995. The yarn is a stunning 12ply mohair from Bendigo Woollen Mills that was leftover from a jumper I made for a friend 10 years ago. I had 2 x 200g balls left that I have wanted to use for years so when I unearthed the pattern in my collection, I was very happy. I knitted it over a few nights whilst watching the DVD of the whole Twin Peaks.


Next up, the animal print velour I mentioned last time ...